A funeral mass took place Sept. 15 at Our Lady of Grace Church, Hoboken, for former City Council President E. Norman Wilson, 74. He passed away Sept. 11. Born in Hoboken, he was a life-long resident.

“My thoughts today are with his sister, Carol Ann, his friends, and all of those whose lives he helped improve,” Mayor Dawn Zimmer said. “I am thankful for his decades of service to our community as a Councilmember, as director of HOPES, and for his role in saving Hoboken University Medical Center as a commissioner of the Hoboken Municipal Hospital Authority.”

Wilson was proud of the fact that he was a member of one of the oldest recorded Hoboken families. He was a graduate of St. Peter’s Prep, St. Peter’s College and Fordham Law School. He was a four term councilman in Hoboken having served two terms as council president. His reputation was as a consensus builder and gentleman. Most of his contemporaries referred to him as ‘The Statesman.’ He was also executive director of H.O.P.E.S. for over 20 years during which he was responsible for establishing Senior Services in Hoboken as well as Head Start and additional Youth programs.

He was lead counsel representing the City of Hoboken in the reclamation of the Hoboken Waterfront from the Port Authority. He is survived by his sister Carol Ann Wilson. He was predeceased by his father E. Norman and mother Theresa Wilson and his brother James Wilson. Services arranged by the Earl F. Bosworth Funeral Home, Hoboken.